Portable rug washing and cleaning device



O t. 2 1934- c. A. STREICH ET! AL PORTABLE RUG WASHING AND CLEANING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 31, 1932 INVENTOR6 1934- c. A.\STRE|CH ET AL 1,975,380

PORTABLE RUG WASHING AND CLEANING DEVICE Filed May 51, 1952 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented. I

Charles a. Strelch and Bruno J. Schulz,- Oshkmh, Wis.

Application May 31, 1932, Serial no. 614.326

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be operated in either direction and which is 'rel- I atively small, light and compact. 1

- A further object of the invention is to provide a rug washing device which includes a pair of u separated vacuum nozzles and an lnterposed re-,

volving brush onto which sprays of cleansing fluid are directed, the arrangement being such that theforward vacuum nozzle operates to extract dust from the rug portions over which it p travels, and then the brush scrubs the rug surface traveled over, and lastly, the rear vacuum nozzle I :removes the excess cleansing solution from the rug, and this sequence of operations isattain- --able regardless of which direction the device is gs moved in because of the arrangement of said parts. A further object of the invention is to provide in a rug washing device of the character described spray means for a revolving scrubbing 3o brush; including a pair of separated nozzles directing converging streams of cleansing solution onto the brush, said nozzles having changeable {spray heads whereby the spray may be varied to meet the requirements of the different naps in 1 35' various rugs and carpets.

A further object of the invention is to provide.

a rug washing device of the character described having a novel form of removable waste solution tank, said tank beingconstructed to permit the escape of air under pressure therefrom, but preventing escape of dust and dirt particles.-

A further object oi the invention is to provide a rug cleaning device powered by two separate electric motors, one for the brush and suction fan, and the other for a pumpto force cleansing solution under pressure from the solution supply tank through the spraynozzles. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable rug washing and cleaning device which is of very simple construction, is strong and durable,- is easily manipulated, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved rug washing and cleaning device, and its parts and combina- (or. 1540) I tions'as set forth in the claim, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accomp nying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved portable rug washing and cleaning device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with part of the solution tank cover broken away to show the interior of said tank; g

Fig. 3 is an end view of the device;

Fig.4 is an opposite end view with the waste solution tank removed;

Fig. 5 is a plan view'of the waste solution with a portion broken away to show a construct79 tional detail;

' Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5:

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the dual suction nozzle and brush portion :7

ofthe device; s I

Fig.8 is an outside view of the portion of the I device shown in Fig.1! and Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view o! a cleansing solution spray nozzle and indicated by line '9-9 in Fi .7.. 7

1 Referring now more particularly to the" draw- 'ings, it will appear that the improved portable rug washing and cleaning device includes a frame 12 on which are embodied a pair of spaced down- 1 wardly directed suction nozzles 13 and 14, a suction duct 15 communicating with both suction nozzles and having its discharge end registering with a removable waste solution tank 16, a pair" of electric motors 1'1 and 18 respectively, and an t,

-- upper cleaning'solution supp tank 19.

A hollow handle 20 is pivotally secured to one end portion of the device, and said'handle'has extendingtherethrough two sets of circuit wires 21 and 22 leading from the motors 17 and '18.. respectively. Said wires are embodied in a common cable 23 extending exterior-ly of'the outer end of the handle. Said cable, at its outer end, carries a plug 24 for insertion ina wall socket.

nozzles 46 is of considerable importance.

27 mounted adjacent the suction nozzle end of the device, and a swivelingly mounted wheel 28 positioned closer to the other end of the device and intermediate the sides thereof. The wheels 27 are pivotally attached to the frame by means of short pivot arms 29, and adjusting bolts 30 may be turned to pivotally move the wheel carrying arms 29 whereby the device may be slightly raised or lowered with respect to said wheels to raise or lower the mouths of the suction nozzles 13 and 14 with respect to the surface of the rug or carpet being worked on. This adjustment is desirable in view of the various lengths of the naps of different rugs.

The motor 18 serves a dual purpose. Within a casing extension of the motor 18 are reduction gears which drive at a reduced rate of speed a shaft 31 extending into the vacuum duct 15. Mounted on the outer end of saidshaft within said duct is a fan 32, and when the fan is in operation it creates a suction to draw material 'revolubly through adjustable bearings 37 and said bearings may be raised or lowered to raiseor lower the brush with respect to the rug surface being worked on, by means of adjusting bolts 38. The brush is driven from the motor 18 by the following mechanism: The motor is provided' with an elongated counter shaft 39 arranged parallel to the brush shaft 35. Fast on the ends of said shaft 39 are pulleys .40 which are connected with pulleys 41 fast on the ends of the brush shaft by means of belts 42.

The other motor 17 drives a pump 43 which intersects an elongated liquid line 44. Said liquid line extends at one end portion to and connects with a discharge nipple 45 de-- pending from the cleaning solution supply tank 19, and the other end portion of said liquid line 44 is formed with branches 44 which depend into the chamber orcavity 34 and connect with spaced apart discharge or spray nozzles 46. In the line 44, between the tank 19 and the pump 43 there is a manual shut-off valve 47.

The arrangement and construction of the spray As shown most clearly in Figs. 7- and 9, each spray nozzle includes a cup-like externally threaded head 48 in which is disposed in a reverse manner an inner cup 49. The inner cup is retained by a cap 50 screwed onto the head 48, and said cap has a central aperture 51 through which a bored boss 52, formed on the inner cup, pro- Jects. The bore 53 extends through the boss 52 at an angle, and with the two spray heads,

as installed, the arrangement is such that the.

bores of the twov spray heads are directed so as to converge whereby the separate streams from the spray heads meet to form a spray which is directed onto the bristles 36 of the brush more or less tangentially. The inner cups 49 of the sprayheads are removable and may be readily replaced by diiferently bored cups, depending on the volume and direction of the streams desired.

The cleaning solution supply tank 19 with which the other end portion of the feed line 44 connects is of rectangular shape and is of a substantial' depth. Said tank is rigidly mounted on supporting brackets 54 over the other mechanism of the device. A large inlet opening 55, surrounded by a suitable neck or flange 56 is formed in the top of the tank 19, and said opening is controlled by aremovable cover 57 formed with a strap handle 58. A cup-shaped screen 59 is depended within the tank belowthe inlet opening so that fluid introduced into the tank through said opening is screened. The waste solution tank 16, best shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, is U-shaped in contour and is adapted to be removably positioned on a lower supporting tray 60. When properly positioned, an opening 61 in a top portion of the tank 16 registers with the discharge end of the duct 15 so that material may be discharged directly into said tank 16. The major portion. of the top of said tank 16 is closed by means of an air cleaner. The air cleaner comprises a pair of spaced apart plates 62 and 63 which are provided with series of apertures 64 and 65 respectively. Between the plates a metallic hair-like mass 66, preferably metal wool, is packed. The plates 62 and 63 are held together and to the body of thetank by means of screws 6'7, whereby said plates may be removed and separated when necessarylor clean ing and repacking. The top of the tank-l6, constructed as described, is of importance in" that air may escape from the tank through the apertures 64 and 65 in the plates, but the mass-66 serves to clean the escaping air and prevents the escape of dust and dirt particles.

In the operation of the improved portable mg I cleaning and washing device, the tanklsis first filled with a suitable washing solution, 'and the waste tank 16, after being emptied, is positioned on the tray 60 so that the duct 15 will'discharge into the tank 16 through the opening 61-. Then the plug 24 is inserted in an electrical socket and the switches 25 and 26 controlling the circuits to the two motors 1'! and 18 are operated 'to close said circuits to set both of the motors in'i operation. Next, the valve cock 4'7 is opened so that the cleaning solution is free to now through the line 44.

With the motor 17 in operation and the cock 47 open, cleaning solution will be pumped through 1 the line and discharged under pressure by the heads 46 on the brush 36, which is revolving. The operation of the motor 18-drives thebrush 36 and also drives the fan 32 to create a suction in the suction duct and in the vacuum nozzles.

Prior to actual propulsion of the device, it is also desirable to adjust the supporting wheels 27 and the brush shaft 35 to insure proper elevation or disposition of the of rug or carpet being worked on.

For actual cleaning and washing operations, the entire device is pushed back and forth over the entire surface of the rug or carpet to be cleaned or washed. The direction of travel of the device of course determines which of the vacuum nozzles is the forward nozzle. However, at

parts to accord with the type Q all events, while the device is being propelled, the

forward nozzle functions to extract dust or dirt from the rug, and said dust or dirt is conveyed through the duct 15 and is deposited into the waste tank 16. The revolving brush, with the cleaning solution sprayed thereonto, actually contacts with the surface and nap of the rug and does the actual scrubbing, and finally, the rear vacuum nozzle functions to take up the excess 150 V 1,970,380 swim 1mm. and said mod is drawn into the waste tank 16. There is, therefore. a double vacuum action in addition to the intermediate scrubbing action, and the apparatus is highly emcient in view o! the fact that all dust and dirt is removed from the rug, and the rug surface is scrubbed and then the cleaning solution is removed.

In addition to the double vacuum feature of the apparatus with the interposed scrubbing element, important features reside in the speciilc construction and location of the waste solution tank. the dual motor arrangement, the pump powered by one of the motors for insuring a discharge of the cleaning solution under pressure, and the specific construction and arrangement 0! the spray heads. The device is furthermore extremely compact'andrelatively light and may be easily propelled and maneuvered, the swiv wheel 28 aiding' in the latter.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved portable rug washing and cleaning device is both simpleand novel, and is well adapted for the West forth.

What is claimed as the invention is:

In a portable rug cleaning device, a body having a pair of spaced suction nozzles with an open cavity formed between said nozzles, a rigid tubular member registering with both oi said nozzles, tan means for creating a suction in said tubular member, a. revoluble brush mounted in said cavity and exteriorly of both 0! said nozzles, a motor for driving boththe Ian and the brush, adjustable wheeled supporting means for the body.- a cleaning solution supply tank, fluid nozzles mounted in said cavity for directing a fluid spray onto said brush, a. tubular connection between said fluid nozzles and said storage tank, a pump in said tubular connection, another motor for operating saidl mp, and a waste tank supported by said body and registering with said rigid tubuin member for receiving excess fluid and .foreign meat, from both the rigid tubular member and vmatter drawn through the suction nozzles. said waste tank being bodily detachable. in one move- 

